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Staple Singers

I used to trust the media to tell me the truth, tell us the truth. But, now I see the pay-offs everywhere I look. Who do you trust when everyone’s a crook?

Revolution Calling Queensryche

So, let’s see. The world and every agenda of it has given me a new lie to swallow. I remember the Twana Brawley fiasco and how that propelled Al Sharpton to the national spotlight. The football player turned war hero Pat Tillman who was shot not by the enemy in a fire fight, but by a fellow soldier. How one girl from West Virginia refused to go along with the exaggerations of her heroism and another’s death was ruled a suicide when even Stevie Wonder could see by the evidence she was raped and murdered. And now, I find out that the Matthew Shepherd case that had Americans thinking about homophobia and its victims was spun in a way to make him the poster child for gay hate crimes though other factors, namely drug abuse, were involved in his death. There are plenty of other true stories that any cause could highlight for the sake of their agendas. But, the media’s and society’s thirst for exaggeration and falsehood has obscured truth so much that many people have become calloused to one another. A change in politics does little or no good as both those on the left and the right have proven to be liars with no sense of remorse. Conservatism, liberalism, and even moderation are all failing and have failed our nation and humanity.

Monastic Contemplation

Anthony did well to go into an African desert to devote his life to prayer. Seraphim of Sarov did likewise in the forest of Russia. It was the the Son of God and the evangelist John that taught us to renounce the world ant its ways. Perhaps if I were single and had no debts to repay, St Catherine’s, Valaam, or even Holy Cross would be good places for me to live the rest of my years. But, total monasticism is not my calling.

Again, I started this blog as an extension of my second life character, an Orthodox monk. In real life, I have done the unthinkable in leaving a stable Baptist pastorate to convert to the Church. I think I should consider and commit myself even more to the faith and spend even more time in reading and studying the scriptures, desert and early church fathers, and other elements in Orthodox doctrine and practice to deepen my faith. This world offers little truth and no hope. There is a greater kingdom than this one. Achieving the greater kingdom must be my ultimate goal. I still have a job to do, a wife to love and take care of, and hobbies. But, the kingdom of God and His righteousness is the highest goal and of greatest importance to me.

And I must do this with a sense of love and laughter. Whenever I express my challenges and difficulties, my priest always reminds me to laugh at myself (and I give me plenty of material to do that). I can’t be so hardcore about working out my salvation in fear and trembling to forget that (1) Jesus took care of much of the process by conquering death by His death and (2) everyone I see is an icon of God. Thus, in my revolt against the world and it’s ways, I am called to express compassion, joy, and hope as well as to be humble, sober minded, and serious about the things of God.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16